CSA OVS - What if not available on check in

Going to Swept Away in May. I have paid for an OVS but I know the resort is full on arrival so what happens if they can not accommodiate your room reservation.
I know from previous posts that you should book the room you want and don't expect free upgrades, that is why I have chosen the OVS. So what if you are downgraded for your duration of your holiday?
Has anyone been in this position?

Regardless of this query, we will enjoy ourselves and try not have to many Bob Marley's in the afternoon like the last time in CTI. Well it was raining.

Although this has never happened to me personally at CSA, I have read about it happening to other people. They were offered a resort credit, and in many instances were given the room they requested as soon as it became available, many times the day after they checked in. :O)

There have been a few posts lately of people who encountered a situation where the resort had overbooked their room category. They were offered a different room category and also given several "perks" to compensate...resort credit to spend during the trip, etc. What you get as a perk seems to depend on what you are being offered as an alternative room from what I can tell...how far off from your paid trip are they asking you to compromise. One person recently posted that they received notification (prior to leaving home) that the entire resort was overbooked and they were being offered the option to change resorts entirely and they were being given quite a bit in exchange. If you are being upgraded a room likely you wouldn't get any perks, if downgraded I'd say what you get offered depends on what room they put you in what they offer you as consolation. I will also say it seems to me that they place people in rooms until rooms are full, meaning those arriving late in the day are most likely to get bumped. If you are arriving in the afternoon you are probably less likely to get a different room than if you arrived late in the evening. Maybe that's not an accurate observation but I've noticed it a few times and it would seem to make sense. Either way, I like your attitude...happy to be at Couples no matter the room.

We have been to CSA five times. Our most recent trip was this January/February. On our first four trips, we always got the beachfront verandah suite that we booked. On this last trip, we reserved a beachfront suite. At check-in, we were told that no BFS was available for 2 nights, and we had the option of either an atrium or an OVS for those 2 nights, then they would switch us to a BFS. No BFVS rooms were available, either.

We ended up in the Greathouse Jacuzzi suite, which is technically an upgrade (it's more expensive) from the BFS/BFVS rooms.

I honestly don't think they would try to put you in a less expensive room for your entire stay. If they did, they would compensate you in some manner from everything I've heard (resort credit, for example).

As I said, it has only happened to us once in 5 trips to CSA. I won't kid you, though. It definitely left a bad taste in my mouth. I know all hotels have these issues to some extent or another. Gosh, I've encountered it on my business trips. I also don't go back to those hotels, either.

We ran into this situation back in December of 2008. CSA was booked solid due to the Reggae Marathon and our OVS wasn't available the Saturday we arrived. We were given a heart felt apology, a $100 resort credit and set up in one of the older garden suites for the night. For your information the GS rooms have now been upgraded to GVS status with glass in the windows and mini-bars. Even though it wasn't what we booked we made the best of it. We only unpacked our toiletries, bathing suits/tee shirts which of course were right on top and clothes for the evening. The next morning we repacked and went out to breakfast and the beach. Around lunch time we went back to registration. Our luggage was already in our OVS and we were escorted to the new room. Simple as that, no hassle and my wife got a one hour massage out of the deal. You'll have a wonderful time in Paradise, aka CSA!

With my previous experience at CSA and from viewing the number and frequency of these posts it is a huge problem and only getting bigger. If we are screwed again on this trip it will be our last stay at couples. Tracking who is coming and going from each room is sooo simple with the software out today. It is rediculous this continues to be an issue.

Thank you for your replies to my questions of the OVS room.
When you think of the money you are paying and the distance we will travel it is a concern. I don't want it to spoil what will be a great holiday but this will probably the last time travelling to Couples for a while. We have never been to Negril and we are looking forward to trying another Couples hotel. It will certainly be different to CTI in terms of location.
It would be nice if you could be given some sort of a guarentee that this will not be a problem.
Since the Romance Rewards programme have stopped giving free upgrades maybe they will have a better idea of what rooms are available.

Just want to clarify this. If you get put into a less expensive room, are you charged only the price of the less expensive room? Is the resort credit everyone is posting about meant to be a "perk" to make up for the inconvenience or is it the difference between the price of the room you reserved and the room you actually get?

I am absolutely petrified of this happening when I get to CSA as I will be there for my wedding/honeymoon. We booked a BFVS and if this is not available upon check in I will be so upset. I don't care what they have to offer me it will not compensate for the aggrivation, disappointment and stress I will have to go through at a time when you definitely don't want to have to worry about moving your things from room to room!

We were downgraded and not offered anything in exchange. We were only in the lower room one night, but it was a hassle to move all our stuff. It isn't a big deal I guess, but I agree it gives a bad feeling to the trip. It should not happen